Finding the right health service

You can access Northern Ireland's Health Service in a range of ways. Here's an overview of the main services available to help you get the treatment you need.

Your doctor/general practitioner (GP)

Your local doctor's (GP) surgery provides:

• general medical advice and treatment
• prescriptions
• referrals to a specialist or a hospital
• immunisations
• tests

To register with a doctor's surgery, talk to the receptionist who can tell you whether you live in the area the surgery covers and if it has room for new patients.

If you're registering a new baby, you'll need to fill in the registration card you receive from the General Registry Office when you register your baby's birth, and take it to your doctor's surgery.

• Find a local GP
• Your local doctor (GP)

Health Service dentists

You don't need to wait until you have toothache to visit the dentist. In fact, a check-up every six months will help to prevent any major problems developing.

• Find a local Health Service dentist
• Dentists

Chemists and pharmacists

Pharmacists, or chemists as they are often called, are experts on medicines. They will prepare prescriptions for you as issued by your doctor. All prescriptions dispensed in Northern Ireland are now free of charge.

Pharmacists can also give advice on treatments that can be bought over the counter.

• Find a local pharmacy
• Pharmacists

Accident and emergency / 999

If you are seriously ill and need emergency care, you can go straight to an accident and emergency (A&E) department at a hospital near you.

Alternatively, you can call 999 for an emergency ambulance.

• Find your nearest hospital
• Accidents and emergencies

Health visitors and community nurses

Health visitors are specially trained nurses who provide advice and support in the community for people whose health may be vulnerable.

If you have a child under the age of five you will usually be assigned a health visitor when your baby is about 10 days old.

If this doesn't happen, contact your GP's surgery and they will let the local health visitor know.

If you or a member of your family need nursing care or support at home, a community nurse or health visitor could help.

The people they work with could be ill or disabled or have physical or mental health problems.

• More about caring for a baby (parents section)
• Your child's health (parents section)
• Community nurses and health visitors (people with disabilities section)

Organisations and charities

Many people visit websites run by charities or voluntary organisations who are experts on a particular medical impairment or disability.

As well as detailed information about the causes and effects of conditions, these sites provide information about treatments, medication, equipment, alternative therapies (where appropriate), self-help and support groups.

They also often act as a way to share views with other people via message boards and forums.

Many organisations produce newsletters or magazines that you can subscribe to.